The Khaki Boys over the Top eBook

It was explained, however, when he read the note.
A glance at the signature told him it was from “Captain
Frank Dickerson.”

“Boys, you only did your duty in exposing me,
as you thought you did,” wrote the officer.
“I congratulate you on your nerve, and on doing
what you so plainly disliked to do, after I had saved
your lives, as I may flatter myself I did.

“So don’t worry about me. I was only
doing my duty, too, for Uncle Sam when I was within
the German lines and in a German uniform. And
I was also doing my duty when I was within your lines
in an American uniform. My superior officers
know all about it. That is all I can say now,
except to add that I was not under arrest very long.
But that action had to be taken to keep my plans from
becoming known, even to the major. I hope to
meet you all again.”

“Say, what does it all mean?” asked Jimmy,
to whom so many things had happened in the last few
hours that it was no wonder he was a bit dazed.
“What’s all this talk about the government
knowing he was in German uniform and all that?”

“Don’t you understand?” inquired
Bob, with a smile. “He was a spy.”

“Of course he was a spy!” asserted Jimmy.
“I sized that up all right. He was a spy
inside our lines and—­”

“Yes, but he was also a spy inside the German
lines,” put in Roger. “Don’t
you understand, Blazes! Captain Dickerson wore
the German uniform to get possession of some of their
secrets. He’s in the United States Secret
Service.”

Jimmy looked first at one and then at the other of
his chums, until he had faced them all in turn.

“Gee!” he exclaimed at length. “What
a chump I was not to guess that, when he acted so
coolly after I denounced him! What a chump I was!”